In August 2017, Harrison and VAHA staff recommended to city council that Horizon be awarded the $66 million contract to build 600 modular homes for homeless and vulnerable people following a public procurement process.

His departure follows that of Vancouver’s head of real estate services Bill Aujla for Aquilini Development, which sparked much controversy in July, prompting then- mayoral candidate—and now mayor—Kennedy Stewart to call for new conflict of interest rules for both politicians and staff.

Stewart pledged to bring in a “cooling off” period of 12 months, preventing developers and contractors actively doing business with the city from hiring senior staff.

“When a senior bureaucrat leaves their city hall office on Monday to take a new role on Tuesday with a private firm that does business with the city it undermines the special position of trust with the public that senior staff have,” stated Stewart.